Using between 36 and 42 hoops, former World Champion Hoop dancer Eddie Swimmer, has captivated audiences all over the world with his performances. His heritage is from both the Eastern Band of Cherokee in North Carolina and the Chippewa-Cree Nation. He is founder of the dance troupe Native Movements is an original member of the American Indian Dance Theatre in New York and of the Sante Fe Music Hall in New Mexico. Eddie has also studied with Tony Whitecloud, founder of the modern Native American Hoop Dance

"Dr. Paul" has performed throughout the United States. Specializing in music tinged with country, soul, and R&B. The years have mellowed his once edgy voice, but the emotion comes through stronger than ever. Touring the country throughout most of the 70's and early 80'shis musical influences included country and western, doo wop, R&B, soul, jazz, folk, and course rock and roll. He moved to the mountains of North Carolina in 2005.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

7:00 pm -- A songwriters' Showcase --
Valleytown Cultural Arts Center

Rob Tiger: Rob is a founding member of local favorite Irons in the Fire. Rob has been writing songs since high school. He is a finger style picker and plays guitar and banjo. Songs include the genres of folk, bluegrass and country (Americana). Rob and the Irons in the Fire have shared the stage with a number of well known groups and artists including the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Marty Stewart, The Green cards, The Steel Drivers and more. He has also done a number of songwriter showcases with folks like Lon Eldridge, Nikki Talley, EB Reece, Jay Drummond, and Chuck Jones.

Hannah Miller: When it comes to southern roots, Hannah Miller's got some to spare. She has lived in Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, and now in Nashville, Tennessee. Her songs are as soulful as the deep south, as soothing as a glass of rich red wine, as stirring as a wept prayer in a rural chapel and as sultry as an August evening in her native Alabama. Miller's literate style blends blues, folk and gospel which, when led by her disarming alto, feel immediately familiar and compelling. She writes with many of Nashville's finest.

Wyatt Espalin: Wyatt began entertaining audiences in his hometown of Hiawassee, Georgia as early as age eleven. Wyatt's passion for music was obvious, even from a barn room stage built by his grandfather. Combining electric guitar with traditional bluegrass roots led to a noticeably unique sound and a growing fan base. His latest album, The Pardon, provides glimpses through ten songs into breakups, burdens, colorful britches, and the light on the other side of it all.

Karen "Sugar" Barnes received her first guitar at age 12 from her father, lap steel player, Three Finger Dean Young. . She has played at MerleFest and many local festivals, including Cullowhee!, Greening Up the Mountains, The Strawberry Jam, the Liars Bench, and Bryson City's Fiddler's Convention. In 1999 Karen began researching and performing traditional women's blues and loves sharing their songs and stories .

Dave Magill began his musical career playing folk music in Boston coffeehouses. He has played in bands from New England to Texas, and all over the southwest. Dave now divides his time between engineering and being resident studio musician at the Music Room in Webster, North Carolina. Karen and Dave have been performing together for several years in the WNC area.

Chautauqua AVE is supported in part by the North Carolina Arts Council, an agency funded by the State of North Carolina and the National
Endowment for the Arts, and by the North Carolina Humanities Council.